Please help me welcome my friend Leslie Ann Sartor to my blog today. Leslie Ann is giving away a copy of either of her books to one lucky commentor so be sure and leave her a comment.

What inspired your latest book?

Stone of Heaven came about when my husband showed me a newspaper article about a blue Jade roadway discovered in Guatemala after a hurricane uncovered part of it. And one of my all time favorite movies is Romancing the Stone, if you’re a romance writer, how could you not identify with Joan Wilder as she cries while writing the end of her novel!
Anyway, I first wrote a script, not at all like RTS, but the woman, actually women, are twins and one of this is the protagonist.

Then I realized it would make a fun read, so wrote the novel. Yikes, what a difference.
I’ve always known novel and screen writing were two beasts, I used to do lectures on it, but this one was hard.

What is your favorite part of writing?

The excitement of a new story. That unfortunately wears off fast, and the hard work sets in. Then, believe it or not, I love rewriting. That’s where I can add the texture of the location, make my characters hurt, love, make mistakes and still have a happy or at least satisfying ending. Yup, love rewriting.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

STONE OF HEAVEN is due in January. Set in the Yucatan, it involves a reclusive woman (Tori Carswell) whose twin (Abby Carswell) is an adventure-junkie and this time gets into trouble she can’t extricate herself from.

Reid Hunter, Abby’s ex-partner, turns out to be the only person Tori can find to help her save her sister from the Mayan God whose blue jade Abby wants—it has special powers and is worth endless amounts of money. This Mayan God also wants to enslave mankind and it’ll take the combined power of the twins, and a few other things, like missing Jade amulets, to make that happen.

Naturally Reid Hunter is very interested in helping Tori save her twin if he can get the jade.

So there is a lot at stake…lives, love, money and hey, even mankind!

What is your typical day like?

Well, I think I’m pretty darn lucky. I got to retire early and write and play. I get up at around 8, (but go to bed around midnight.) I read the digital newspaper on my iPad, then hit the computer around 9. I’ve had 2 cups of coffee by that time. Then I try to settle down to write, but usually check email etc. Then write for a couple of hours, and by 1pm I like to be done. Afternoon is for playing…relearning the piano, taking a walk , scrapbooking, photography…all the things I didn’t have time to do before.

Evenings…sometimes I write, or work on social media. Or my DH and I watch a movie (still writing screenplays, you know, so it’s research  ) or we cook a recipe (trying all sorts of food and we cook together.)

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

I couldn’t be happier. I could sell more books  But I know it’s a process and it takes time. Having additional titles out will help tremendously. I proud to be Indie Published and I have a blog all about it.

www.anindieadventure.blogspot.com

Indie Publishing about more than just putting your work out there. It’s about learning what works on covers, and for marketing to name a few.

My blog is about all that and the latest news and interviews. And it’s not just about writers, I want to interview Indie Filmmakers and Indie Musicians.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Get an editor!!!!! Honestly, we’re not doing ourselves and the industry any good if we put, excuse me…crap…out there. Get your book in the best shape it can be at that moment and then put it out.

Cindy has been a tremendous mentor to me as far as guiding me through some of the processes. Find someone whose been there and ask for help.

Ask me. I’ll help as much as I can. And there are a lot of yahoo groups that you can join that offer tremendous support.

IndieRomanceInk@yahoogroups.com is an amazing group and has provided lots of support for and by indie authors to other indie authors

What’s next for you?

I have a huge number of stories to get out, honestly I can’t write fast enough, and I’m trying to learn to be “retired” it’s not easy.

I’m working on a new romantic comedy screenplay called the Prince of Granola and I’m going to write the book as well. Since Stone of Heaven is a series, and you’ll see why when you read it  there are more of those books to write. I have an old manuscript my buddies are dying for me to update and that I think will be my next book out, it won many awards as a manuscript, so it’s time. Betrayal Of The Trust. Summer of 2013

Here’s a good question for you all. Notice how I italicized The in the title…it’s an important difference in the book an agreement, the trust” has been broken. Do the italics make a difference to you in how you perceive the title?

Betrayal Of The Trust
Or
Betrayal Of The Trust.

Cindy, thank you for having me here today. Fun questions and I hope you all enjoyed my answers.

If you leave a comment, I’ll include you in the drawing for a free book. Your choice, Dare to Believe, or Stone of Heaven (in January).

A Happy, healthy and successful 2013 to all of us.

BIO

Leslie Ann Sartor, Screenwriter

When I was writing romantic suspense novels, I was certain I’d found my calling. But I had never quite been able to rid myself of the dream I had as a little girl watching Disney movies–to create magical moments up on the big screen.

So I took screenwriting classes, sure I was chasing a hopeless dream, after all I now lived in Colorado, not California.

Then came an unexpected request; could I write a romantic movie based on a true story? YOU BET! And I was contracted to adapt a non-fiction book, Mother of the Pound, into a big screen romantic epic, Cry of the Dove—a story of faith and love built around the ethnic struggle in Iraq during the turmoil of WWII.

I’ve truly found my passion and am living my dream. To create stories on paper that translate into magic on the screen.